IPL diary: Tournament reschedule may hit India’s preparations for England Tests

IPL 2025: Some members of the Indian Test team will now get less time to prepare for the crucial five-match series in England, after the Indian Premier League (IPL), postponed due to the India-Pakistan conflict, was rescheduled and extended by nine days.

The IPL 2025 was suspended midway through the Punjab Kings-Delhi Capitals encounter on May 8 in Dharamsala. Since the venue is close to the India-Pakistan border, many have questioned the logic of continuing with that match despite heightened tensions.

On the night of May 12, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released a revised schedule for the remaining 17 matches of the league. The IPL will now resume on May 17, and the ‘no result’ Punjab Kings-Delhi Capitals match — which was halted in the first innings — will be replayed on May 24 in Jaipur. Dharamsala was originally set to host another home match for Punjab Kings, but that too has now been relocated.

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Test series preparations impacted

The more pressing concern is the impact of the revised schedule on Indian players who will represent the national team on the upcoming England tour. Cricketers whose franchises reach the playoffs and final will have very limited time to mentally switch to the five-day format and prepare for the first Test, which begins on June 20 in Leeds.

To get into the Test mode, players need time. Indian cricketers are to play a couple of practice games in England before the opening Test, but their preparation window has now shrunk significantly.

One unexpected beneficiary of the rescheduled IPL is the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), which now gets to host two additional non-Delhi Capitals matches, in addition to the final home game of Delhi Capitals against Gujarat Titans.

As per the original schedule, the IPL was to conclude with the final on May 25. The final is now slated for June 3. The venues for the three playoff matches and the final are yet to be announced.

Foreign players may opt out

It is also likely that some foreign players who have returned to their home countries may not return for the rescheduled leg of the IPL. This may happen for two key reasons.

Also read: IPL suspended indefinitely amid India-Pakistan tensions

Firstly, some players are reportedly uncomfortable playing under the constant threat of bombings and the tense, war-like atmosphere surrounding certain Indian venues. Secondly, some Australian and South African cricketers contracted with IPL franchises are prioritising the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, which begins on June 11 in London.

Cricket Australia (CA), considered one of the best-governed national boards, has come out in support of players deciding not to return.

“Following the announcement that the IPL will resume on Saturday, Cricket Australia will support players in their individual decisions whether to return to India or not,” said a CA spokesperson. “Team management will work through the preparation implications for the WTC final for those players who choose to play in the remaining IPL matches. We are maintaining communication with the Australian government and the BCCI around security arrangements and safety.”